All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Fiat stops production of all-electric 500e

Last week VW announced that it will lay off 269 workers from the Zwickau factory, and three days ago it will stop the production of ID.3 and Cupra Born in Zwickau. Serious things seem to be happening in the European market as Fiat also announces the temporary halt of production of the all-electric 500e at the Mirafiori plant due to low demand, as well as the cessation of production of four Maserati models (Ghibli, Quattroporte, Levante and GranTurismo).

This year is bad for the Fiat 500e, when it comes to sales, because there was a drop in demand (1.7 percent) compared to the same period last year, so the decision was expected. It should be noted that the model with an internal combustion engine will continue to be produced in Poland.

A spokesperson for Stellantis said that all activities at the Mirafiori plant will be temporarily halted this week and that the plant will continue to operate, but will again have to stop car production between October 19 and November 3. About 2,400 workers are employed in this factory.

The Fiat 500e is powered by an electric motor with 118 hp (87 kW) and 162 lb-ft (220 Nm) of torque. It is equipped with a lithium-ion 42 kWh battery that provides a range of 199 miles (321 km/ WLTP). It reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 9 seconds with a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).

Source: Fiat

News

VW Trinity EV is coming soon

Although the latest information about layoffs in Zwickau caused by reduced demand for the German brand’s electric cars points to a mild crisis at VW, the German automaker is not whining but announcing the return of the Trinity EV project.

VW Trinity is currently the most significant project of the company and the best hope in the fight against Tesla’s dominance in the EV market. It will be built on the SSP platform, which VW says will enable Level 4 autonomy (full autonomy). Its arrival on the market was planned for 2026, but at one point the whole project was cancelled. However, with the arrival of VW Group CEO Oliver Blume, the project was revived. The plan was to build a new factory to produce this car, but the company decided that there was no need for a new factory.

A VW spokesman said that models based on the SSP platform will be launched at the end of this decade.

The Supervisory Board of the VW Group approved on Friday the management’s plans on the distribution of development and production of vehicles for the VW brand until 2028. The Wolfsburg plant will produce the electric version of the Golf based on the modern SSP architecture, but also the electric Tiguan starting in 2026 and the successor to the Tiguan Allspace from 2025.

Expected strong demand for the Golf EV supports the argument to maintain high levels of expertise and staff numbers, as the union-backed job security package expires in 2029.

Source: VW

News

Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport

Porsche has unveiled a new limited edition racing car, the 911 GT3 R rennsport. Only 77 examples will be produced and will be available to those with deep pockets, as this car costs $1,046,000 million.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport is powered by a 4.2-liter water-cooled six-cylinder boxer engine with 620 hp (456 kW). The engine is paired with a six-speed sequential dog-type transmission that sends power to the rear wheels.

The car will be offered with a range of customization options, such as seven different colors, opt for one of three exclusive paint designs or choose the most flawless color that Rennsport has to offer: pure carbon. It is equipped with adjustable suspension elements like the racing 911 GT3, unsilenced rennsport exhaust system, ultralight 18-inch BBS rims wrapped in Michelin tires. Customers can also get an exhaust system that produces less noise, which is a solution for use on tracks where there are decibel restrictions, and cameras and a special monitor in the cabin have replaced conventional mirrors.

Porsche claims that the 911 GT3 R rennsport is an uncompromising car for use on circuit tracks, but due to the small number of copies, many already perceive it as an expensive collector’s item that will occupy a special place in the garage.

Source: Porsche

Gallery:

Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport